Markets lag on weak US jobs data; AstraZeneca sheds 6%

Developed market shares were fleeting between positive and negative territory this afternoon as US jobs data disappointed and investor confidence in the eurozone weakened.

Jobless claims in the US were 13,000 more than expected, snapping a two-day rally in the S&P 500. The index was in negative territory on opening but later climbed back up to 1,392, up 0.12%. London's FTSE 100 was down 0.09% to 5,715, dragged down by pharma giant AstraZeneca which this morning posted a drop in revenues for Q1 and revealed its chief executive is stepping down. Its share price has fallen 6.2% to £26.65p so far today, the most since 2010. The FTSE fell 4.6% from its 2012 high in March as concerns resurfaced about the eurozone and whether some countries will struggle to re...